GCC students unveil new work at Gulf Film Festival

The Student Documentary segment is a collection of viewpoints and unique stories from around the GCC, offering a slice of life that is a refreshing take on society and everyday life.

The films will vie for cash prizes in the Student Competition, in which the best three films will be awarded First, Second and Third Prizes of Dhs20, 000, 15, 000 and 10, 000 respectively. A Special Jury Prize will be awarded of AED 15,000.

The segment is dominated by films from the UAE and Iraq, three of which probe UAE history and Emirati identity: from the UAE, Ahmadiya, by Ebrahim Ustadi, traces the journey of Al Ahmadiya, the first formal school in Dubai, and the evolution of modern education in the city.

The Diversity of Nationalities in the UAE, by Mariam Alsuwaidi, explores how the students and the teachers of a school in Sharjah make sense of Emirati identity, while Reflections by Muna al Mazam asks what the different nationalities residing in the UAE think of the country's nationals.

On the tongue-in-cheek side, Finding Mr and Mrs Right—Dubai Style by Hind Al Hammadi and Elham Sharaf is a documentary about the trials and tribulations of Dubai's new generation as they search for their perfect match. BMX in Dubai by Ahmed bu Humaid asks what drives the riders of BMX bikes and prompts them to perform crazy stunts. The film is fast-edited, with hard cuts and music.

From Baghdad, See Them, by Luay Fadhel, follows stunt cyclists in Baghdad as they risk their necks challenging themselves to new heights. Also from Iraq, feature documentary Red Zone Citizens by Mounaf Shaker introduces viewers to a group of artists who perservered in their dream of setting up a theatre group in the dangerous—or red—zone of Baghdad following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The Gulf Film Festival is brought to you by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) in association with Dubai Studio City.